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'None of us had life jackets,' survivor of overturned dragon boat at Mombasa Ocean Festival
Ishmael Onyango, one of the survivors of the boat that capsized during the East Africa Ocean Festival at Tudor Water Sports in Mombasa on October 10, 2025.
Three people are feared dead after a dragon boat carrying 22 participants capsized during The East Africa Ocean Festival (TEAOF) 2025 at the Tudor Water Sports Club in Mombasa on Friday evening.
Nineteen people were rescued in the incident, which occurred just metres from the finish line during the festival's dragon boat race. Preliminary reports suggest that the vessel was one of three taking part in the event.
Mombasa County Chief Fire Officer Ibrahim Basafar said the alarm was raised at around 5:30 pm after the boat overturned while competing in the open water category.
“Rescue operations ensued immediately and we managed to save 19 people, two of whom are undergoing trauma and psychosocial support. One participant who was in critical condition has been taken to Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital,” Mr Basafar said.
He confirmed that three people remain unaccounted for. “From our assembly point, we can confirm that three are still missing,” he added.
Some Kenya Coast Guard Service officers were present at the Tudor Water Sports Club when three participants in the Dragon Boat race went missing after their boat capsized during the East Africa Oceans Festival on October 10, 2025.
A multi-agency team comprising the Mombasa County Government, the Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS), and other responders has launched a search and rescue mission to locate the missing participants.
Mr Basafar urged members of the public to remain calm and avoid interfering with emergency operations.
“We are responders who come to save lives and property, yet some still attack us. Who will assist you when in distress? Responders are there to help, not harm,” he said, after an ICU ambulance on standby was reportedly damaged by agitated spectators and relatives.
Witnesses said the scene turned chaotic as family members and teammates, overwhelmed by grief and fear, hurled stones and damaged property at the site.
According to one participant, the tragedy could have been avoided had safety protocols been observed.
“None of us had life jackets on during the race,” said Ishmael Onyango, a survivor and member of the Kijiweni Uplifters team from the Bangladesh area in Mombasa.
“We received an invitation to participate in the dragon boat race and had been practicing since Monday. We used life jackets during training, but on the event day, only one team had them. We were almost at the finish line when our boat capsized. Everything happened so fast,” he said.
Read: 'I survived': Woman' recalls 16 hours of horror in the Indian Ocean, watching two captains die
Onyango added that organisers had not contacted the affected teams since the tragedy occurred.
“We were 22 on board, and the three missing are our teammates. Their families have started calling us, what do we tell them?” he said.
Mombasa County Executive for Lands and Urban Planning Hussein Mohammed, who was among the responders at the scene, said efforts were underway to locate the missing individuals.
“We are working with other agencies, including KCGS divers, to conduct night operations. We are also reviewing the participants’ manifest to identify those missing,” he said.
The East Africa Ocean Festival is an annual event that promotes ocean conservation and marine sports in the region. The organisers are yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.
